I Want to Record Them All

ALBUM UPDATE #2 — This past weekend I asked Jordan how many songs he wanted to record. He replied, “I want to record them all.” I’m not sure how serious he was being. That would be around 20 songs, and a few more if you count older ones we’ve never recorded.

Our last album, which was our first, I believe we recorded 12 songs, and then narrowed it down to 10. I don’t know how most bands or singer/songwriters pick songs for their albums, but I don’t write enough to have a wealth of songs to choose from. (I don’t even think I’ve written a hundred songs since I started writing 17 years ago. If I counted, it would probably be around 50 or 60.)

So, how does a part-time band with one main songwriter have enough songs to record a full-length album? Easy. You wait three or four years between each recording, and live a lot of life in between. That gives you plenty of material, and enough time to write at least 10 or 12 songs.

When you write so few songs, they tend to be more personal. For me, this is because when I get a rare block of time to write, I want to write something as much from the heart as possible. It may be the only chance I get for a while. This makes it hard when you have to narrow down the songs you want on an album, because you get emotionally attached to them.

We don’t have to worry about which songs will be banished from the next album for a while. For now, it’s figuring out how we’re going to do the songs that are even being considered. Arrangement, tempo, key, how many instruments, and what kinds of instruments. Those are the questions we’re working out in practice, and will continue to work out for the next few weekends. It’s an exciting time seeing how the songs take on more life and color. And if Jordan is serious about recording them all, I don’t think we’re going to mind.